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When we first moved into our house, there were so many things that needed to be done, I almost didn’t know where to start. And then it got very, very dark. That’s when I realized there was absolutely no light over the kitchen table. Suddenly I knew which project deserved to be at the top of the list. Unfortunately, it appeared that one of the major reasons for the lack of light was also the lack of wiring in the ceiling.

We are planning on remodeling the whole kitchen, but I was not prepared to choose a fixture or put a hole in my ceiling. Repairing drywall is not in my DIY repertoire (yet). So, in need of a quick fix that could plug into a wall, I started looking for options.

I literally had this in my hand at Lowe’s – the only plug in pendant option they had. I just couldn’t bring myself to actually buy it. It’s decent for the price, but Continue reading →

I don’t know about you guys, but I am SO. READY. for Spring! Anything that is bright and light is very appealing right now. So when I came across this incredible mid-century style ombre dresser from Lexie at Living With Lexie, I was smitten. What’s even more incredible – she found it for $35 on Craigslist!

I love the bright punch of color the dresser brings to the space – so cheerful! Since this piece was for her little girl’s room, Lexie used a paint chip and got samples of each of the colors in case she needed to touch up the drawers – so smart!

I’ve been thinking about changing out the dressers in my bedroom, since they’re just not fitting into my room as it’s evolving. As Lexie mentions in her post, refinishing or painting a thrifted dresser is a great way to get a completely custom piece without breaking the bank. And if it doesn’t quite turn out, no big deal!

I’m keeping my eyes out for a great piece – and I’ll definitely keep Lexie’s tips in mind. Check out her full tutorial here!

So there I was, with a house mostly devoid of furniture after a cross country move, and a keen eye on my Craigslist app. Eyes glazing over after seeing the fifty-eighth particle board night stand, I almost missed it.

Maybe you can relate: you buy a cute sweater. The one you’ve been eyeing that finally went on sale. You love your sweater – it’s so soft! So versatile! You can make it acceptable to wear every day by layering clothes and accessories! But then, just as your serious crush begins to burst into full fledged romance – IT PILLS. Your sweater betrays you by exploding into a diseased, pill-ridden mess, and you wonder what you were thinking when you took it home. “Laura,” you’re asking, “what on earth does this have to do with furniture?” I’ll tell you – that’s exactly what my table did to me.

Back when things were still good.

You can read about how I bargained my way to my dining set here. Things went well.. at first. Then, my table Continue reading →

I’ve always been very uh… thrifty (it sounds slightly better than “cheap”). However, in the dark days before Craigslist (otherwise known as the BCL era), a girl didn’t have a lot of options. Or maybe you know all about Craigslist, but you don’t want to risk driving 45 minutes to find out the seller already sold the item you were trying to buy. It’s happened to us all.

So when it came time to buy a dining set, I was determined to get a great set I’d be happy with that wouldn’t break the bank. So, I did what any reasonable person would do – I went to a furniture store. I was immediately struck with two thoughts. One, good Lord, 99% of this furniture is hideous. Two, WHY is this hideous furniture so expensive?? Thinking it might just be that one store, I went to another store. And another. And several more after that. It didn’t help. I was annoyed with the mostly ugly, mostly ridiculously overpriced furniture.

The husband and I made the decision to buy a house last year. While this is always a big decision, it was an even bigger decision for us, since we are currently living as far as you could possibly live from our families and still be in the continental United States. We moved two years ago for what has been a good career move, but it’s been tough to be so far away from everyone. After just over a year of renting in a very expensive city, we saw very quickly that 1) the job was working out and we would be here for awhile, and 2) it is MUCH less expensive to own than rent where we live. A big part of the decision was also realizing that Continue reading →

Get ready for an epic story. A story complete with loss, renewal, a battle, and true love!

*Ahem* I may be overselling it a little. But the truth is, there were some old shutters that got lost in an attic, I fought some ladies to actually obtain said shuttersat an estate sale, and then my husband (who must truly love me), helped me load them up and take them home. See? Everything I promised.

But seriously, these shutters were worth it. Just look at this baby. I mean, the PATINA…. *drool*